Stories and photos from the field

What do you know about Texas’ forests?

Did you know that East Texas has 675,000 acres of forest and grasslands? Did you know that Texas boasts some of the most ecologically significant forests in the U.S.? When I started my internship with the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club in January, I didn’t know either of those facts. The U.S. Forest Service manages approximately 675,000 acres of forests and grasslands known as the Forests and Grasslands of Texas (NFGT). The NFGT includes four national forests: Sabine, Davy Crockett, Sam Houston and Angelina National Forests and one grassland: Caddo-Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) National Grassland. My job this semester is to research the importance of the NFGT and what threats it is facing. This information will be used to inform Sierra Club visitors and volunteers of what needs to be done to conserve the NFGT for the future.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

About this blog

Graduate students at St. Edward's University in the Professional Science Master’s in Environmental Management and Sustainability (MSEM) program gain valuable hands-on field experience through coursework, research, and internships.

During the first year of the program, students learn environmental research and project management skills from researchers and practitioners in and around Austin and write proposals for research to be conducted over the following year.

Over the summer, students travel to Costa Rica for four weeks to participate in an in-depth exploration of sustainable development strategies that integrate environmental conservation and economic development.

As the culminating experience, students complete an internship where they apply the skills gained in the academic program to managing a project for a public or private sector organization. Projects take place around the world and cover a range of different topics.

Find out more about MSEM students' field experiences in Travis County, Costa Rica, or for their Internships by clicking on the tabs above!